Using AI to sort your photos

And other fun things for a Tuesday

Sorting photos wasn’t an issue with the SX-70.

2023 has been the year of experimenting with AI, and one tool that I recently learned about is ResMem. It was created by Wilma Bainbridge and other researchers at the University of Chicago to identify photos that are the most memorable. You can go to the site, upload a picture, and the AI will rate the memorability of the image on a scale from 0 (not memorable) to 1 (most memorable) based on psychological research. (If you have an ad blocker, disable it or the site won’t work.)

The system is a bit slow, because it wasn’t built to help your average influencer get more likes on the ‘Gram. If you’re trying to decide which of two poses to order from a professional photo shoot, or which picture to have printed in large format for a holiday present, it’s perfect. If you’re handy with Python, the researchers have made their code available so that you could build a program to sort more photos. (I am not handy with Python; that might be a project for next year.)

Right now, I am looking through a ton of photos from my kid’s wedding, and they have already been sorted by a professional photographer who has an outstanding eye. And it is still a slog!

In other AI news, I recently asked ChatGPT for a list of words that start with the letter L that could describe children, for an essay I was working on. Here’s what it gave me:

1. Lively

2. Lovely

3. Laughter

4. Lighthearted

5. Little

6. Learner

7. Playful

8. Lovable

9. Energetic

10. Curious

11. Innocent

12. Precious

13. Bright

14. Imaginative

15. Adventurous

The computers aren’t taking over—yet.

In other things:

Things to Do:

Shop for Bargains: MarleyLilly is an online store that specializes in monogrammed items to make your preppy dreams come true. They sell their mistakes at deep, deep discounts. It’s a great place to find one-of-a-kind presents at great prices. (MarleyLilly Bloopers)

Redo Your Budget: Some expenses feel like an emergency but really aren’t because they are predictable. As in, your car will need its oil changed. Your nieces will graduate from high school and expect presents. You’re going to take a road trip to visit friends. Budget for them, and you’ll feel less stress. (Chicago Booth Review)

Laugh: An organization called Hilarity for Charity provides support for Alzheimer’s caregivers, in part by helping them see the good in the absurd. If you’re dealing with a loved one with dementia, check it out. (Hilarity for Charity)

No Crying: A League of Their Own, a great movie about baseball (and one of the few Tom Hanks movies where he is not a loveable guy) leaves Netflix at the end of September. Check it out!

Things to Read:

Aging: The New York Times dedicated last week’s Sunday Opinion section to aging in America. One of the stories addressed the financial costs of caregiving. It’s a thing, and it tends to hit women hard. (New York Times gift link)

Retirement: Thinking of relocating? Here’s a list of the best places to retire in the US. (WalletHub)